Begin Recording
Some Yelling
Recording by Scribe Ellison
And then Desdemona made her pitch for blowing up the Institute. I was really shaken, a lot more surprised than I should have been. The Railroad is very dedicated, but always tried not to leave a human body count. They're secret agents mostly, not soldiers. And Des is my friend. I didn't want to believe that someone I'd had long talks about leadership with would turn around and ask me to do a thing like that.
So I yelled. About the kids in the Institute, and the scientists who had nothing to do with making synths and all the other technology down there that could save a lot of lives. Of course the Institute wasn't sharing that tech, but if it was all blown up they'd never have a chance to change their minds.
Desdemona did at least say the plan was to take over the molecular relay and send all the synths, oh and noncombatants too, to the surface. Where the synths would be whisked into safehouses and protected.
Looking back now it wasn't a completely terrible idea, with preparation it could have been all right, but at the time I was just seeing my son, and Allie, and the kid and his friends in danger. I said something about, "I'm happy to fight for synths because they're people, and I have to fight for people, too!"
By this point we were glaring each other down over the planning table and everyone was watching. Then Deacon put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me away. "Let's revisit this question later, boss. I think the General needs to cool off a little."
I swatted him, but let myself be herded to the door. We passed Glory and Drummer Boy, who were holding caps and scowling at Deacon. I'm pretty sure they'd been placing bets on me or Des to win the fight.
Outside it was evening and it was cold. I stamped and stormed a few yards, ready to turn more yelling on Deacon, but outside is not the place to lose your temper and lose track of your surroundings. Habit made me stop, look around, and take a deep breath. The smell of outside, dust and clean air with a tang of sea salt and rot, got my brain thinking again. I kept walking, but slowly and listening for trouble. Deacon sauntered along behind me, watching the buildings around us.
The Railroad headquarters at the time was not in a safe area of Boston, but just when I'd have welcomed something to take my temper out on we were alone.
Finally I said, "You know I'm still on board with the mission, right? Saving synths?"
"Oh, of course. You're just not on board with killing your baby, the only thing you have left from your past. I did try to warn the boss."
I wondered if he really had. Deacon doesn't usually lie to manipulate people, he just lies because he does.
Deacon pointed up at an old scaffolding along a building and trotted up it with perfect confidence as the thing swayed. I followed more slowly, with care for the two hundred year old construction.
Then, quietly, "He's not a good person, Em."
"...I know. But he can still become a better one." I reached the top, a balcony sticking out of the floor that everything else had collapsed onto. There are a pair of chairs up here and a cooler with a railsign chalked on it. A lookout post, from which we can see the approach to headquarters and a great view all the way down to the ocean. There was a small patch of green by the water and maybe ten radstags had stopped to graze, led by a big buck with glowing green buboes all the way down its sides.
Deacon said, "I know you like getting up high where you can see everything."
I looked at him, startled. I do like to climb on things to get a look around, but I hadn't realized that myself much less thought my friends might've noticed.
Deacon is… and odd duck. I can't imagine what he'd have been before the war, but here he's one of the top people in the Railroad. My friend. Probably my handler too. Don't trust half the stuff that comes out his mouth, but I trust him.
"Aren't you the one who said not to believe what people say, look at what they do and what they're asking me to do?"
"Did I say that?"
I leaned against the sunwarmed brick of the crumbling wall behind up. "Yes you did. Look, tell Des—I'll look into it. See if the Institute has a solid evacuation plan to get everyone out. Then maybe, later, when I'm sure the Institute can't ever turn around and do something good… maybe then. It's not just about Shaun, it really isn't. That's a lot of people you're asking me to pull the trigger on."
"If there was anyone else who could do it… the boss didn't want to put it all on you but you're the one with the teleport chip. We're fighting for our lives here."
"I know." I said, the weight of those lives heavy on me. "I won't lead the coursers here either. Even if Shaun asks me to. Which he probably will. Make sure Des knows that too."
"Will do. You should probably stay away from HQ for a bit. Use the dead drops to get in touch."
"I will." I sighed and stood up. "I should get moving. It'll be a walk to get to Goodneighbor where I can rent a bed." I'd been planning to sleep over in headquarters but that seemed like a bad idea now so I had to find somewhere else to spend the night. I started climbing down, already planning my route.
From behind me I heard, "What a coincidence, I need to check in with some tourists in Goodneighbor. I'll walk with you. We'll get there in time to catch Magnolia's last set."
